International connections and interactions between the EU and its associated nations
The 27 Foreign Ministers of the European Union (EU) are gathering today in Brussels, invited by Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Among the ministers attending the meeting is Germany's Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, marking her second meeting in the same format.
The focus of today's Council meeting will be the security situation in Eastern Europe. Baerbock emphasized the importance of maintaining close ties with her colleagues during her first Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels in mid-December. She stressed the need for security for people in various cities, including Riga, Bucharest, Berlin, and St. Petersburg.
The EU Foreign Ministers will also discuss the EU's support for the democratic process in Libya. The originally scheduled parliamentary and presidential elections in Libya for December 24, 2021, have been postponed. Germany welcomes the work of the United Nations in Libya, committed to a political process led by Libyans.
In addition to the Russia-Ukraine exchange, the EU Foreign Ministers will discuss the situation in Syria, Libya, Sudan, and Mali, as well as the EU's engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. The conflict in Syria continues, with more than 13 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Germany and the EU support the work of the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir O. Pedersen, in pursuit of a lasting and just peace. Pedersen will discuss the situation in Syria with the EU Foreign Ministers today in Brussels.
An exchange with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is planned; he will participate in the EU27 consultations via video link. Baerbock advocated for a diplomatic solution and further talks to ease tensions during her inaugural visits to Kyiv and Moscow last week.
The specific countries in the Indo-Pacific region discussed during today's EU Foreign Ministers Consultation are not detailed in the available search results. However, an exchange on the EU's Indo-Pacific strategy and its implementation is planned.
The EU's red lines in dealing with the Assad regime remain: no normalization, no lifting of sanctions, and no reconstruction support. The ministers will also discuss the situations in Mali and Sudan.
Baerbock has highlighted the need for continued dialogue and diplomacy in addressing global challenges. She underlined the importance of working together with her EU partners to find peaceful solutions and ensure security for the people of Europe and beyond. The meeting follows the informal meeting in the French city of Brest on January 13 and 14.
Read also:
- United States tariffs pose a threat to India, necessitating the recruitment of adept negotiators or strategists, similar to those who had influenced Trump's decisions.
- Weekly happenings in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Southwest region's most popular posts, accompanied by an inquiry:
- Discussion between Putin and Trump in Alaska could potentially overshadow Ukraine's concerns
